1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to drag reduction technology for application to a hull of a boat and, more particularly, to a drag reduction assembly incorporated within a boat hull, particularly a stepped boat hull configuration, which provides for more efficient operation of the boat when traveling upon or through a body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Technology is fairly well known in the marine art for assisting in the reduction of frictional water forces, or drag forces, experienced by a boat hull during its travel along or through a body of water. Such forces are in the form of resistant forces to the forward movement of the boat. Significant drag or frictional forces are often exerted on the propeller and the planar surfaces of the hull.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,253, issued to Alexander, Jr., teaches a vee bottom stable planning boat employing a drag reduction configuration. The vee portion of the hull includes a plurality of spray root lines where solid water contacts the bottom of the boat. Boat drag is minimized at higher speeds by adjusting the trim angle of the hull.
An additional variation of a vee hull construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,920, issued to Wood et al., which teaches provision of a concave running pad at a central aft location of the underside vee hull. Air is inducted into the running pad to reduce hull drag in combination with angling of a transom to terminate at a transverse hull step and which permits the outboard propulsion unit to be carried higher reducing unit drag.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,853, issued to Adler, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,988, issued to Clement, teach additional variants of stepped hull bottoms for boats, the purpose of which is to attempt to reduce, to the greatest extent possible, the drag or kinetic friction forces exerted by the adjoining water on the boat hull.